Fivefold Scapular
The Fivefold Scapular, also known as Redemptorist Scapular, is a sacramental made up of five best-known of the early scapulars in the Catholic Church: the Brown Scapular of the Carmelites, the Blue Scapular of the Immaculate Conception, the Black Scapular of the Servites, the Red Scapular of the Passion, and the White Scapular of the Most Holy Trinity. There are 17 total officially approved scapulars of the Catholic Church.
History
The Fivefold Scapular originally was a four-fold scapular, and is known as Redemptorist Scapular, since the Redemptorist Fathers were first granted special faculties, in perpetuity, by the Holy See to bless and invest the scapulars in 1803 and to enroll the faithful into the respective confraternities. In 1847, the Red Passionist Scapular was added to the other four to become the current form of Fivefold Scapular, and in 1886 Pope Leo XIII gave permission to bless and enroll the five scapulars cumulatively, and later the Church extended the faculty to any priest.The Brown Scapular
The Brown Scapular is the most popular scapular. It was given to Simon Stock by Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who promised him that "whoever dies clothed in this scapular shall not suffer the eternal flames." Later, she appeared to Pope John XXII as the Mediatrix of all graces, promising him that "whoever shall wear my Scapular faithfully, pray the Divine Office, and exercise chastity in their state of life shall not suffer Hell, and if they should go to Purgatory, I shall bring them to Heaven on the First Saturday after their death".The Brown Scapular has been praised by numerous popes. Venerable Pope Pius XII said that the Brown Scapular is "a sign of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary" and that "the scapular is not superstitious... One is not saved from Hell merely by wearing it. No, for it is a sign that they must live their lives in total obedience to God and trust in him, through and with the Immaculate Heart of Mary." In 1917, the Virgin Mary appeared in Fátima, Portugal, as Our Lady of the Rosary, holding not only the Holy Rosary but also the Brown Scapular. Moreover, in her final apparition, during the Miracle of the Sun, one of the three seers, after known as Sister Lúcia, saw Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Furthermore, it was to Saint Dominic that the Virgin Mary appeared with the Rosary and the Brown Scapular, her arms outstretched, saying, "One day by the Rosary and the Scapular I will save the world". Finally, the members of the Blue Army of [Our Lady of Fátima] wear the Brown Scapular as a sign of personal consecration to Our Lady of Fátima.